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by Acharya Shantideva,
translated by Stephen Batchelor
-- Look for the Jewel
--
Table of Contents:
Chapter I. The Benefit
of the Awakening Mind
la
Respectfully I prostrate myself to the Sugatas
Who are endowed with the Dharmakaya,
As well as to their Noble Sons
And to all who are worthy of veneration.
Ib
Here I shall explain how to engage in the vows of the
Buddhas' Sons,
The meaning of which I have condensed in accordance
with the scriptures.
2
There is nothing here that has not been explained before
And I have no skill in the art of rhetoric;
Therefore, lacking any intention to benefit others,
I write this in order to acquaint it to my mind.
3
For due to acquaintance with what is wholesome,
The force of my faith may for a short while increase
because of these (words).
If, however, these (words) are seen by others
Equal in fortune to myself, it may be meaningful
(for them).
4
Leisure and endowment are very hard to find;
And, since they accomplish what is meaningful for man,
If I do not take advantage of them now,
How will such a perfect opportunity come about again?
5
Just as a flash of lightning on a dark, cloudy night
For an instant brightly illuminates all,
Likewise in this world, through the might of buddha,
A wholesome thought rarely and briefly appears.
6
Hence virtue is perpetually feeble,
The great strength of evil being extremely intense
And except for a Fully Awakening Mind
By what other virtue will it be overcome?
7
All the Buddhas who have contemplated for many aeons
Have seen it to be beneficial;
For by it the limitless masses of beings
Will quickly attain the supreme state of bliss.
8
Those who wish to destroy the many sorrows of (their)
conditioned existence,
Those who wish (all beings) to experience a multitude
of joys,
And those who wish to experience much happiness,
Should never forsake the Awakening Mind.
9
The moment an Awakening Mind arises
In those fettered and weak in the jail of cyclic existence,
They will be named 'a Son of the Sugatas',
And will be revered by both men and gods of the world.
10
It is like the supreme gold-making elixir,
For it transforms the unclean body we have taken
Into the priceless jewel of a Buddha-Form
therefore firmly seize this Awakening Mind.
11
Since the limitless mind of the Sole Guide of the World
Has upon thorough investigation seen its preciousness,
All beings wishing to be free from worldly abodes
Should firmly take hold of this precious 'Awakening Mind.
12
All other virtues are like the plantain tree;
For after bearing fruit they simply perish.
But the perennial tree of the Awakening Mind
Unceasingly bears fruit and thereby flourishes without end.
13
Like entrusting myself to a brave man when greatly afraid
By entrusting myself to this (Awakening Mind) I shall
be swiftly liberated
Even if I have committed extremely unbearable evils.
Why then do the conscientious not devote themselves to
this?
14
Just like the fire at the end of an age,
It instantly consumes all great evil.
Its unfathomable advantages were taught
To the disciple Sudhana by the wise Lord
Maitreya.
15
In brief, the Awakening Mind
Should be understood to be of two types;
The mind that aspires to awaken
And the mind that ventures to do so.
16
As is understood by the distinction
Between aspiring to go and ( actually) going.
So the wise understand in turn
The distinction between these two.
17
Although great fruits occur in cyclic existence
From the mind that aspires to awaken,
An uninterrupted flow of merit does not ensue
As it does with the venturing mind.
18
And for him who has perfectly seized this mind
With the thought never to turn away
From totally liberating
The infinite forms of life.
19
From that time hence,
Even while asleep or unconcerned.
A force of merit equal to the sky
Will perpetually ensue.
20
For the sake of those inclined towards the lesser (vehicle),
This was logically asserted
By the Tathagata himself
In The Sutra Requested by Subahu.
21
If even the thought to relieve
Living creatures of merely a headache
Is a beneficial intention
Endowed with infinite goodness,
22
Then what need is there to mention
The wish to dispel their inconceivable misery,
Wishing every single one of them
To realise boundless good qualities?
23
Do even fathers and mothers
Have such a benevolent intention as this?
Do the gods and sages?
Does even Brahma have it?
24
If those beings have never before
Even dreamt of such an attitude
For their own sake,
How would it ever arise for the sake of others?
25
This intention to benefit all beings,
Which does not arise in others even for their own sake,
Is an extraordinary jewel of the mind,
And its birth is an unprecedented wonder.
126
How can I fathom the depths
Of the goodness of this jewel of the mind,
The panacea that relieves the world of pain
And is the source of all its joy?
27
If merely a benevolent intention
Excels venerating the Buddhas,
Then what need to mention striving to make
All beings without exception happy?
28
Although wishing to be rid of misery,
They run towards misery itself.
Although wishing to have happiness,
Like an enemy they ignorantly destroy it.
29
For those who are deprived of happiness
And burdened with many sorrows
It satisfies them with all joys,
Dispels all suffering.
30
And clears away confusion.
Where is there a comparable virtue?
Where is there even such a friend?
Where is there merit similar to this?
31
If whoever repays a kind deed
Is worthy of some praise,
Then what need to mention the Bodhisattva
Who does good without its being asked of him?
32
The world honours as virtuous
A man who sometimes gives a little, plain food
Disrespectfully to a few beings,
That satisfies them for only half a day.
33
What need be said then of one
Who eternally bestows the peerless bliss of the Sugatas
Upon limitless numbers of beings,
Thereby fulfilling all their hopes?
34
The Buddha has said that whoever bears an evil thought
Against a benefactor such as that Bodhisattva
Will remain in hell for as many aeons
As there were evil thoughts.
35
But if a virtuous attitude should arise (in that regard) .
Its fruits will multiply far more than that.
When Bodhisattvas greatly suffer they generate no
negativity,
Instead their virtues naturally increase.
36
I bow down to the body of him
In whom the sacred precious mind is born.
I seek refuge in that source of joy
Who brings to happiness even those who harm him.
Chapter II. Disclosure
of Evil
1
In order to seize that precious mind
I offer now to the Tathagatas,
To the sacred Dharma, the stainless jewel,
And to the Sons of Buddha, the oceans of excellence,
2
Whatever flowers and fruits there are
And whatever kinds of medicine,
Whatever jewels exist in this world
And whatever clean refreshing waters;
3
Likewise gem-encrusted mountains,
Forest groves, quiet and joyful places,
Heavenly trees bedecked with flowers
And trees with fruit-laden branches;
4
Fragrances of the celestial realms,
Incense, wishing trees and jewel trees,
Uncultivated harvests, and all ornaments
That are worthy to be offered;
5
Lakes and pools adorned with lotuses
And the beautiful cry of wild geese,
Everything unowned
Within the limitless spheres of space.
6
Creating these things in my mind I offer them
To the supreme beings, the Buddhas, as well as their Sons;
O Compassionate Ones, think kindly of me
And accept these offerings of mine.
7
Having no merit I am destitute
And I have no other gifts to offer.
O Protectors, you who think of helping others.
By your power accept these for my sake.
8
Eternally shall I offer all my bodies
To the Conquerors and their Sons.
Please accept me, you Supreme Heroes,
Respectfully shall I be your subject.
9
Through being completely under your care
I shall benefit all with no fears of conditioned existence;
I shall perfectly transcend my previous evils
And in the future shall commit no more.
10
To very sweetly scented bathing chambers
With brilliantly sparkling crystal floors
And exquisite pillars ablaze with gems,
Having canopies above aglow with pearls.
11
I beseech the Tathagatas and their Sons
To come and bathe their bodies
From many jewelled vases filled with waters scented and
enticing,
To the accompaniment of music and song.
12
Let me dry their bodies with incomparable cloths
Clean and well-anointed with scent,
And then may I present these Holy Beings
With fragrant garments of suitable colours.
13
I adorn with manifold ornaments
And various raiments fine and smooth,
The Aryas Samantabhadra, Manjughosha
Avalokiteshvara and all the others.
14
Just like polishing pure, refined gold
Do I anoint the Buddhas' forms that blaze with light
With the choicest perfumes whose fragrance permeates
A thousand million worlds.
15
And to the highest objects of giving I offer
Beautiful, well-arranged garlands,
As well as enchanting, sweet smelling flowers,
Such as lily, jasmine and lotus blooms.
16
Also I send forth clouds of incense
Whose sweet aroma steals away the mind,
As well as celestial delicacies
Including a variety of foods and drinks.
17
I offer them jewelled lamps
Arranged on golden lotus buds;
Upon land sprinkled with scented water
Do I scatter delicate flower petals.
18
To those who have the nature of compassion
I offer palaces resounding with melodious hymns,
Exquisitely illluminated by hanging pearls and gems
That adorn the infinities of space.
19
Eternally shall I offer to all the Buddhas
Jewelled umbrellas with golden handles
And exquisite ornaments embellishing the rims,
Standing erect, their shapes beautiful to behold.
20
And in addition may a mass of offerings
Resounding with sweet and pleasing music,
(Like) clouds that appease the misery of all,
Each remain (for as long as necessary).
21
And may a continuous rain
Of flowers and precious gems descend
Upon the reliquaries and the statues,
And upon all the jewels of Dharma.
22
In the same ¥lay as Manjughosha and others
Have made offerings to the Conquerors,
Similarly do I bestow gifts upon the Tathagatas,
The Protectectors, their Sons and all.
23
I glorify the Oceans of Excellence
With limitless verses of harmonious praise;
May these clouds of gentle eulogy
Constantly ascend to their presence.
24
With bodies as numerous
As all the atoms within the universe,
I prostrate to all Buddhas of the three times,
The Dharma and the supreme community.
25
Likewise I prostrate to all reliquaries,
To the bases of an Awakening Mind,
To all learned abbots and masters
And to all the noble practitioners.
26
I seek refuge in all Buddhas
Until I possess the essence of Awakening,
Likewise I1 seek refuge in Dharma
And in the assembly of Bodhisattvas.
27
With folded hands I beseech
The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas
Who possess the great compassion
And reside in all directions.
28
Throughout beginningless cyclic existence
In this life and in others,
Unknowingly I committed evil deeds
And ordered them to be done (by others).
29
Overwhelmed by the deceptions of ignorance
I rejoiced in what was done,
But now seeing these mistakes
From my heart I declare them to the Buddhas.
30
Whatever harmful acts of body, speech and mind;
I have done in a disturbed mental state,
Towards the three jewels of refuge,
My parents, my spiritual masters and others;
31
And all the grave wrongs done by me,
So thoroughly evil and polluted
By an abundance of faults,
I openly declare to the Guides of the World.
32
But I may well perish
Before all my evils have been purified;
So please protect me in such a way
As will swiftly and surely free me from them.
33
The untrustworthy lord of death
Waits not for things to be done or undone;
Whether I am Sick or healthy.
This fleeting lifespan is unstable.
34
Leaving all I must depart alone.
But through not having understood this
I committed various kinds of evil
For the sake of my friends and foes.
35
My foes will become nothing.
My friends will become nothing.
I too will become nothing.
Likewise all will become nothing
o036
Just like a dream experience,
Whatever things I enjoy
Will become a memory.
Whatever has passed will not be seen again.
37
Even within this brief life
Many friends and foes have passed,
But whatever unbearable evil I committed for them
Remains ahead of me.
38
Thereby, through not having realised
That I shall suddenly vanish,
1 committed so much evil
Out of ignorance, lust and hate.
39
Remaining neither day nor night,
Life is always slipping by
And never getting any longer ,
Why will death not come to one like me?
40
While I am lying in bed,
Although surrounded by my friends and relatives,
The feeling of life being severed
Will be experienced by me alone.
41
When seized by the messengers of death,
What benefit will friends and relatives afford?
My merit alone shall protect me then,
But upon that I have never relied.
42
O Protectors! I, so unconcerned,
Unaware of such terror as this,
Accumulated a great deal of evil
For the sake of this transient life.
43
Petrified is the person
Today being led to a torture chamber.
With dry mouth and dreadful sunken eyes.
His entire appearance is transfigured.
44
What need to mention the tremendous despair
When stricken with the disease of great panic,
Being clasped by the physical forms,
Of the frightful messengers of death?
45
"Who can afford me real protection
From this great horror?"
With terrified, bulging eyes agape
I shall search the four quarters for
refuge.
46
But seeing no refuge there
I shall become enveloped in gloom.
If there should be no protection there,
Then what shall I be able to do?
47
Therefore I now seek refuge
In the Buddhas who protect the world,
Who strive to shelter all that lives
And with great strength eradicate all fear.
48
Likewise I purely seek refuge
In the Dharma they have realised
That clears away the fears of cyclic existence,
And also in the assembly of Bodhisattvas.
49
I, trembling with fear ,
Offer myself to Samantabhadra;
To Manjughosha also
I make a gift of my body.
50
To the Protector Avalokiteshvara
Who infallibly acts with compassion,
I utter a mournful cry,
"Please protect this evildoer! "
51
In my search for refuge
I cry from my heart
For Akashagarbha, Ksitigarbha
And all the Compassionate Protectors.
52
And I seek refuge in Vajrapani,
Upon the sight of whom all harmful beings
Such as the messengers of death
Flee in terror to the four quarters.
53
Previously I transgressed your advice,
But now upon seeing this great fear
I go to you for refuge.
By doing so may this fear be swiftly cleared away.
54
If I need to comply with a doctor's advice
When frightened by a common illness,
Then how much more so when perpetually diseased
By the manifold evils of desire and so forth.
55
And if all people dwelling on this earth
Can be overcome by just one of these,
And if no other medicine to cure them
Is to be found elsewhere in the universe,
56
Then the intention not to act in accordance
With the advice of the All-Knowing Physicians
That can uproot every misery ,
Is extremely bewildered and worthy of scorn.
57
If I need to be careful
Near a small, ordinary precipice,
Then how much more so near the one of long duration
That drops for a thousand miles.
58
It is inappropriate to enjoy myself
Thinking that today alone I shall not die,
For inevitably the time will come
When I shall become nothing.
59
Who can grant me fearlessness?
How can I be surely freed from this?
If I shall inevitably become nothing,
How can I relax and enjoy myself?
60
What remains with me now
From the terminated experiences of the past?
But through my great attachment to them
I have been going against my spiritual masters' advice.
61
Having departed from this life
And from all my friends and relatives,
If all alone I must go elsewhere
What is the use of making friends and enemies?
62
"How can I be surely freed
From unwholesomeness, the source of misery?"
Continually night and day
Should I only consider this.
63
Whatever has been done by me
Through ignorance and unknowing,
Be it the breaking of a vow
Or a deed by nature wrong,
64
I humbly confess it all
In the presence of the Protectors,
With folded hands, prostrating myself again and
My mind terrified by the misery ( to come).
65
I beseech all the Guides of the World
To please accept my evils and wrongs.
Since these are not good,
In future I shall do them no more.
Chapter III. Full
Acceptance of the Awakening Mind
1
Gladly do I rejoice
In the virtue that relieves the misery
Of all those in unfortunate states
And that places those with suffering in happiness.
2
I rejoice in that gathering of virtue
That is the cause for (the Arhat's) Awakening,
I rejoice in the definite freedom of embodied creatures
From the miseries of cyclic existence.
3
I rejoice in the Awakening of the Buddhas
And also in the spiritual levels of their Sons.
4
And with gladness I rejoice
In the ocean of virtue from developing an Awakening Mind
That wishes all beings to be happy,
As well as in the deeds that bring them benefit.
5
With folded hands I beseech
The Buddhas of all directions,
To shine the lamp of Dharma
For all bewildered in misery's gloom.
6
With folded hands I beseech
The Conquerors who wish to pass away,
To please remain for countless aeons
And not to leave the world in darkness.
7
Thus by the virtue collected
Through all that I have done,
May the pain of every living creature
Be completely cleared away.
8
May I be the doctor and the medicine
And may I be the nurse
For all sick beings in the world
Until everyone is healed.
9
May a rain of food and drink descend
To clear away the pain of thirst and hunger
And during the aeon of famine
May I myself change into food and drink.
10
May I become an inexhaustible treasure
For those who are poor and destitute;
May I turn into all things they could need
And may these be placed close beside them.
11
Without any sense of loss
I shall give up my body and enjoyments
As well as all my virtues of the three times
For the sake of benefiting all.
12
By giving up all, sorrow is transcended
And my mind will realise the sorrowless state
It is best that I ( now) give everything to all beings
In the same way as I shall ( at death) .
13
Having given this body up
For the pleasure of all living beings,
By killing, abusing and beating it
May they always do as they please.
14
Although they may play with my body
And make it a source of jest and blame,
Because I have given it up to them
What is the use of holding it dear?
15
Therefore I shall let them do anything to it
That does not cause them any harm,
And when anyone encounters me
May it never be meaningless for him.
16
If in those who encounter me
A faithful or an angry thought arises,
May that eternally become the source
For fulfilling all their wishes.
17
May all who say bad things to me
Or cause me any other harm,
And those who mock and insult me
Have the fortune to fully awaken.
18
May I be protector for those without one,
A guide for all travelers on the way;
May I be a bridge, a boat and a ship
For all who wish to cross ( the water) .
19
May I be an island for those who seek one
And a }amp for those desiring light,
May I be a bed for all who wish to rest
And a slave for all who want a slave.
20
May I be a wishing jewel, a magic vase,
Powerful mantras and great medicine,
May I become a wish-fulfilling tree
And a cow of plenty for the world.
21
Just like space
And the great elements such as earth,
May I always support the life
Of all the boundless creatures.
22
And until they pass away from pain
May I also be the source of life
For all the realms of varied beings
That reach unto the ends of space.
23
Just as the previous Sugatas
Gave birth to an Awakening Mind,
And just as they successively dwelt
In the Bodhisattva practices;
24
Likewise for the sake of all that lives
Do I give birth to an Awakening Mind,
And likewise shall I too
Successively follow the practices.
25
In order to further increase it from now on,
Those with discernment who have lucidly seized
An Awakening Mind in this way,
Should highly praise it in the following manner:
26
Today my life has (borne) fruit;
(Having) well obtained this human existence,
I've been born in the family of Buddha
And now l am one of Buddha's Sons.
27
Thus whatever actions I do from now on
Must be in accord with the family.
Never shall I disgrace or pollute
This noble and unsullied race.
28
Just like a blindman
Discovering a jewel in a heap of rubbish,
Likewise by some coincidence
An Awakening Mind has been born within me.
29
It is the supreme ambrosia
That overcomes the sovereignty of death,
It is the inexhaustible treasure
That eliminates all poverty in the world.
30
It is the supreme medicine
That quells the world's disease,
It is the tree that shelters all beings
Wandering and tired on the path of conditioned existence.
31
It is the universal bridge
That leads to freedom from unhappy states of birth,
It is the dawning moon of the mind
That dispels the torment of disturbing conceptions.
32
It is the great sun that finally removes
The misty ignorance of the world,
It is the quintessential butter
From the churning of the milk of Dharma.
33
For all those guests traveling on the path of conditioned
existence
Who wish to experience the bounties of happiness,
This will satisfy them with joy
And actually place them in supreme bliss.
34
Today in the presence of all the Protectors
I invite the world to be guests
At (a festival of) temporary and ultimate delight
May gods, anti-gods and all be joyful.
Chapter IV.
Conscientiousness
1
Having firmly seized the Awakening Mind in this way,
A Conqueror's son must never waver;
Always should he exert himself
To never stray from his practice.
2
In the case of reckless actions
Or of deeds not well considered,
Although a promise may have been made
It is fit to reconsider whether I should do them or not.
3
But how can I ever withdraw
From what has been examined by the great wisdom
Of the Buddhas and their Sons,
And even many times by me myself?
4
If having made such a promise
I do not put it into action,
Then by deceiving every living being
What kind of rebirth shall I take?
5
If it has been taught (by the Buddha)
That he who does not give away
The smallest thing he once intended to give
Will take rebirth as a hungry ghost;
6
Then if I should deceive all beings
After having sincerely invited them
To the unsurpassable bliss,
Shall I take a happy rebirth?
7
Only the Omniscient can discern
The manner of the action of those
Who give up the Awakening Mind but are freed
It is beyond the scope of ( ordinary) thought.
8
This, for a Bodhisattva,
Is the heaviest of downfalls.
For should it ever happen,
The welfare of all will be weakened.
9
And should others for even a single moment
Hinder or obstruct his wholesome (deeds),
By weakening the welfare of all
There will be no end to their rebirth in lower states.
10
For if my being is impaired
By destroying the joy of even one creature,
Then what need is there to mention
Destroying the joy of creatures vast as space.
11
Thus those who have the force of an Awakening Mind
As well as the force of falling ( from it )
Stay revolving within cyclic existence
And for a long time are hindered in reaching the Bodhisattva
levels.
12
Therefore just as I have promised
Shall I respectfully accord my actions.
If from now on I make no effort
I shall descend from lower to lower states.
13
Although for the benefit of every creature
Countless Buddhas have passed by,
Yet I was not an object of their care
Because of my own mistakes.
14
And if I continue to act like this,
Again and again shall I undergo
( suffering) in unhappy realms, sickness, bondage
Laceration and the shedding of blood.
15
If the arising of a Tathagata,
Faith, the attainment of a human body
And my being fit to cultivate virtue are scarce,
When will they be won again?
16
Although today I am healthy,
Well-nourished and unafflicted,
Life is momentary and deceptive:
The body is like an object on loan for but a minute.
17
And with behaviour such as this
I shall not win a human body again,
And if this human form is not attained
There will be solely evil and no virtue.
18
If when I have the chance to live a wholesome life
My actions are not wholesome,
Then what shall I be able to do
When confused by the misery of the lower realms?
19
And if I commit no wholesome deeds (there),
But readily amass much evil,
Then for a hundred million aeons
I shall not even hear the words "a happy life".
20
For these very reasons, the Buddha has said
That like for a turtle to insert its neck
Into a yoke adrift upon the vast ocean,
It is extremely hard to attain the human state.
21
If even by the evil of one instant
An aeon may be spent in the deepest hell,
Then because of the evil I have gathered since beginningless
time,
What need to mention my not going to a happy realm.
22
But having experienced merely that (rebirth in hell)
I shall still not be liberated;
For while it is being experienced
Other evil will be extensively produced.
23
So if, when having found leisure such as this,
I do not attune myself to what is wholesome,
There could be no greater deception
And there could be no greater folly.
24
And if, having understood this,
I still foolishly continue to be slothful,
When the hour of death arrives
Tremendous grief will rear its head.
25
Then if my body blazes for a long time
In the unbearable flames of hell,
Inevitably my mind will be tormented
By the fires of unendurable remorse.
26
Having found by some coincidence
This beneficial state that is so hard to find,
If now while able to discriminate
I once again am led into the hells,
27
Then as though I were hypnotised by a spell
I shall reduce this mind to nothing.
Even I do not know what is causing me confusion,
What is there dwellng inside me?
28
Although enemies such as hatred and craving
Have neither any arms nor legs,
And are neither courageous nor wise,
How have I been used like a slave by them?
29
For while they dwell within my mind
At their pleasure they cause me harm,
Yet I patiently endure them without any anger;
But this is an inappropriate and shameful time for patience.
30
Should even all the gods and anti-gods
Rise up against me as my enemies,
They could not lead nor place me in
The roaring fires of deepest hell.
31
But the mighty foe, these disturbing conceptions,
In a moment can cast me amidst (those flames)
Which when met will cause not even the ashes
Of the king of mountains to remain.
32
All other enemies are incapable
Of remaining for such a length of time
As can my disturbing conceptions,
The long-time enemy with neither beginning nor end.
33
If I agreeably honour and entrust myself (to others )
They will bring me benefit and happiness,
But if I entrust myself to these disturbing conceptions
In future they will bring only misery and harm.
34
While in cyclic existence how can I be joyful and unafraid
If in my heart I readily prepare a place
For this incessant enemy of long duration,
The sole cause for the increase of all that harms me?
35
And how shall I ever have happiness
If in a net of attachment within my mind
There dwell the guardians of the prison of cyclic existence,
The (disturbing conception) that become my butchers
and tormentors in hell?
36
Therefore as long as this enemy is not slain with certainty
before my very eyes.
I shall never give up exerting myself (towards that end).
Having become angry at someone who caused only slight
and short-lived harm.
Self-important people will not sleep until their ( enemy) is
overcome.
37
And if while engaged in a violent battle,
Vigorously desiring to conquer those whose disturbing
Conceptions will naturally bring them suffering at death,
Men disregard the pain of being pierced by spears and
arrows
And will not withdraw until the day is won;
38
Then what need to mention that I should not be
faint-hearted and slothful,
Even if I am caused many hundreds of sufferings
When now I strive to definitely overcome my natural
enemies,
(These disturbing conceptions) which are the constant
source of my misery?
39
If even scars inflicted by meaningless enemies
Are worn upon the body like ornaments,
Then why is suffering a cause of harm to me
Who impeccably strives to fulfill the great purpose?
40
If fishermen, hunters and farmers,
Thinking merely of their own livelihood,
Endure the sufferings of heat and cold,
Why am I not patient for the sake of the world's joy?
41
When I promised to liberate all those beings
Dwelling in the ten directions as far as the ends of space
From their disturbing conceptions,
I myself was not yet freed from mine.
42
Thus unaware of even my own capacity,
Was it not somewhat crazy to have spoken like that?
But as this is so I must never withdraw
From vanquishing my disturbing conceptions.
43
And to do this will be my sole obsession:
Holding a strong grudge I shall meet them in battle!
But disturbing conceptions such as these
Destroy disturbing conceptions and (for the time being)
are not to be ( abandoned) .
44
It would be better for me to be burned,
To have my head cut off and to be killed,
Rather than ever bowing down
To those ever present disturbing conceptions.
45
Common enemies when expelled from one country
Simply retire and settle down in another,
Though when their strength is recovered they then return.
But the way of this enemy, my disturbing conceptions, is
not similar in this respect.
46
Deluded disturbing conceptions! When forsaken by the eye
of wisdom
And dispelled from my mind, where will you go?
Where will you dwell in order to be able to injure me
again?
But, weak-minded, I have been reduced to making no
effort.
47
If these disturbing conceptions do not exist within the
objects, the sense organs, between the two nor elsewhere,
Then where do they exist and how do they harm the world?
They are like an illusion--thus I should dispel the fear
within my heart and strive resolutely for Wisdom.
For no real reason, why should I suffer so much in hell?
48
Therefore having thought about this well,
I should try to put these precepts into practice just as they
have been explained.
If the doctor's instructions are ignored,
How will a patient in need of cure be healed by his
medicines?
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